Shopé is beginning a new chapter by asking the people closest to him not to let him quit.
“Don’t Let Me Stop” is the Toronto rapper’s first single since retiring the name Spoken and adopting a shortened version of his given name, Mosopeoluwa. The change is more than cosmetic. After years of dealing with confusion caused by another band named Spoken, Shopé said the new identity better reflects both the person he has become and the music he wants to make.
His full first name means “I make joy to the Lord,” giving the rebranding considerably more weight than the average artist adding an accent mark and changing a social media handle.
Shopé Turns Doubt Into ‘Don’t Let Me Stop’
Produced by Q, with additional production from Adam Pondang, “Don’t Let Me Stop” finds Shopé thinking through the less glamorous side of pursuing music. He addresses uncertainty, financial pressure, long drives and the temptation to interpret every obstacle as evidence that it is time to walk away.
Instead of presenting himself as the unstoppable hero of the story, Shopé addresses the people who know him well enough to recognize when discouragement is beginning to win.
As a result, the title becomes a request for accountability as much as a declaration of ambition.
That gives the song more substance than the usual keep-chasing-your-dreams anthem. Shopé is not pretending determination exists in isolation.
Calling, marriage, family and responsibility all occupy the same life. Therefore, success in one area does not excuse neglecting the others.
A New Name and a New EP
The song introduces Shopé’s forthcoming self-titled EP, his first project under the new name. The five-song release is due Aug. 26 through Toronto-based Role Model Records and will also feature Dru Bex, Julien and Remus.
“Don’t Let Me Stop” is about continuing forward, but not blindly. Sometimes perseverance means refusing to quit.
Other times, it means keeping enough honest people nearby to tell you when you are pursuing the right goal in the wrong way.